Flat pleating system



Sept. 13, 1960 E. RAPHAEL 2,952,316

FLAT PLEATING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 3, 1957 INVENTOR.

' EDWIN RAPHAEL.

States PatentO FLAT PLEATING SYSTEM Edwin Raphael, 157 Central Ave., Holland, Mich.

Filed Dec. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 700,401

2 Claims. (Cl. 160-344) This invention relates to draperies and particularly to pleating systems for fiat draperies and to drapery members for use therein.

The drapery system of the present application is particularly useful for installations wherein high standards of cleanliness must be maintained. Examples of such uses are in hospitals, doctors ofiices and the like. High standards of cleanliness must be maintained in such uses T- and to this end the draperies must be washed and ironed at frequent intervals.

[similar institutions it is desirable to wash the draperies approximately weekly and to iron the draperies using their More specifically in hospitals and present fiat ironing machines.

Certain of the draperies used heretofore have had pleats sewn therein whereby to achieve the desired decorative pleating effect. 'The sewn pleats interfere particularly with the ironing operation, such draperies not being ironed in a satisfactory manner by means of flat ironing machines. Certain elforts have been made to overcome these limitations of sewn pleated draperies by using strips having pockets thereon sewn to the drapery to receive multi-hook pleating hangers therein. The hanging and the taking down of such draperies is so time consuming and cumbersome that the labor involved prohibits use in those installations wherein it is desired frequently to wash and iron the draperies.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved pleating system and particularly an improved flat pleating system.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved drapery which can be ironed and treated as though.

it were a flat piece of cloth but which can be readily pleated to provide a decorative and pleasing appearance when hung.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved flat drapery of the type set forth which is, more Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a drapery system made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section through the drapery system of Figure 1 substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 2--2 thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section through the hung drapery of Figure 1 substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 of Figure l; a

Figure 4 is a plan view with certain portions broken away of the hanging system of the present invention substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a a draw rope forming a part of the drapery system of the economical in construction and which can be cleaned and ironed more economically than draperies available heretofore.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved hanging system to hang the improved flat drapery of the present invention.

In connection with the foregoing object it is another object of the invention to provide a hanging system of the type set forth which in combination with the improved fiat drapery of the present invention provides a pleasing pleated appearance and yet can be readily installed and removed whereby to facilitate and simplify repeated and frequent removal and rehangin-g of the drapery.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fiat pleating system which is more simple in construction and more economical to manufacture and use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. In the drawing wherein like reference numerals have been utilized to designate like parts throughout:

present invention; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of a pleating disc forming a part of the drapery system of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a drapery installation made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention. The drapery system is generally designated by the numeral 10 and is of the type which would be useful in a hospital, a doctors oflice or the like. The system 10 includes a drapery member generally designated by the numeral 12 and a support including an I-beam generally designated by the numeral 14.

Preferably the drapery member 12 is formed of a substantially fiat piece of a suitable and decorative drapery material. The usual hems are provided around the edges but there are none of the usual sewn pleats or any of the usual pleating tapes or loops affixed thereto. The material of the drapery member 12 is positioned with the upper edge 16 thereof disposed to cover a portion of the I-beam 14. A series of tucks extending vertically and perpendicular to the upper edge 16 is provided adjacent to the upper edge 16. More specifically, a first series of tucks 18 is formed by folding the material of the drapery 12 upon itself and sewing a vertically extending seam to hold the tuck in shape. Preferably the extent of each tuck 18 in a horizontal direction when hung is approximately inch. The vertical extent of the tucks 18 when the drapery member 12 is hung may be for example 3 inches. The tucks 18 extend outwardly or forwardly into the room when the drapery 12 is in the installed position. Formed between adjacent tucks 18 are rearwardly extending tucks 20 which are formed in a like manner and have dimensions like those described above with respect to tucks 18. Preferably the distances between adjacent tucks 18 and 20 are equal whereby to divide the drapery member 12 into a series of vertically extending panels of equal width designated by the numera1 22.

It has been found that the tucks 18 and 20 although only A; inch wide will predetermine pleating or fold lines so that when alternate tucks are moved toward each other, a pleating effect is achieved. More specifically, the material of .the drapery member 12 pleats or folds along lines extending vertically in general alignment with the individual tucks 18 and 20. The resultant pleating action is clearly indicated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. The tucks 18 are so small that they do not interfere with the hat ironing of the drapery member 12 and, accordingly, the drapery member 12 can be satisfactorily ironed in institutional fiat ironing machines.

Referring now particularly to Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings the manner of hanging and supporting the drapery member 12 will be described in detail. The I-beam 14 includes a vertically extending web 24 having upper outwardly extending flanges 26 and a pair of lower outwardly extending flanges 28. The lower flanges 28 support thereon a plurality of runners generally designated by the numeral 30. Each runner 30 includes a generally downwardly curved body portion 32 having inturned curved ends 34 which are disposed upon and resiliently engage the lower flanges 28 of the Lbeam 14. Preferably the runners 30 are formed of a resilient material such as spring steel and maintain themselves in the proper position upon the I-beam 14 and can be readily moved therealong in a sliding motion by exerting pressure thereto in a direction longitudinally of the l-beam 14.

The drapery member 12 is supported upon the runners 30 by loops 36. The loops 36 are preferably formed of cloth and closed. To this end a strip of cloth is folded into a U shape and the ends thereof sewn to the opposite sides of the rear-wardly extending tucks as may be best seen in Figure 3 of the drawing. Each of the tucks 20 has a loop 36 mounted. thereon. A rtnmer is provided for each of the loops 36 and passes therethrough whereby to support the loop and the attached drapery member 12 as is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawing.

Means is provided to obtain pleating in a predetermined manner of the drapery member 12 after it is hung. To this end a draw rope or cord 38 has been provided. The draw rope 38 is threaded through the loops 36 as is shown in Figure 4. Formed at spaced intervals on the draw rope 38 are grooves 40 formed therein which receive positioning discs 42 thereon. Each of the discs 42 is generally circular in outline and has a V-shaped cutout or slot 44 extending inwardly to the center thereof, the cutout '44 being in communication with an aperture 46 in the center of the disc 42. The aperture .6 is substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of the rope 38 at the grooves 40 whereby the discs can be readily mounted on the draw rope 38 for movement therewith.

Preferably the distance between adjacent discs 42 on the draw rope 38 is less than the distance between adjacent tucks 20 when the drapery member 12 is in the flat condition. For example each of the vertical panels 22 may be two inches wide whereby to provide a flat distance of four inches between adjacent tucks 20. In such instances it would be convenient, for example, to have the distance between adjacent discs 42 approximately three inches. Such a construction would give a pleating of the type illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The drapery member 12 can be readily hung as follows. The runners 30 can be put through the loops 36 and then mounted upon the lower I-beam flange 28. The draw ro'pe 38 is then threaded through the loops 36 and the discs 42 put in position upon the draw rope 38 at the grooves 40. Alternatively, the draw rope 38 can be threaded through the loops: 36 and the discs 42 placed thereon before the runners 30 are mounted on the I-beam 14. Either procedure is rapid and requires no tools and no skilled labor.

The drapery member 12 can be removed for cleaning by reversing the above steps. After cleaning, the drapery member 12 can be readily ironed by flat ironing machines and methods and still obtain a good and pleasing appearance of the finished drapery. After hanging, the drapery member 12 will automatically fold along verti-tcal lines in general alignment with the tucks 18 and 20 whereby to give a pleasing pleated appearance.

It will be seen that there has been provided a fiat pleating system and parts therefor including an improved drapery member and support therefor which fulfill all of the objects and advantages set forth above. Although one preferred form of the invention has been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A flat pleating system comprising a substantially flat drapery member having a longitudinally extending edge adapted to be positioned uppermost when the drapery is in the installed position, a plurality of tucks disposed along said edge at spaced apart intervals and extending substantially perpendicular to said edge, adjacent tucks being disposed on opposite sides of said drapery mem-h ber, cloth loops secured to alternate tucks, means mounting said cloth loops along a longitudinal line and for. movement along said longitudinal line, a cord passing 1 through and supported by said cloth loops, and discs mounted on said cord at intervals shorter than the distance between the adjacent tucks carrying said cloth loops, whereby engagement of said discs with said cloth loops limits the maximum spacing between said cloth loops to pleat said drapery member in a predetermined manner along lines in alignment with said tucks.

2. A flat pleating system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cord has grooves formed therein at regular intervals therealong and spaced apart a distance less: than the distance between the adjacent tucks carrying the cloth loops, the discs having slots therein to engage said cord at said grooves for mounting thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

